BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU softball earned six selections on the 2022 Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) All-Louisiana College Softball Team announced Friday.
Outfielder Ciara Briggs, pitcher Ali Kilponen, shortstop Taylor Pleasants, and utility Shelbi Sunseri were honored as first-team selections, while first baseman Georgia Clark and third baseman Danieca Coffey were listed on the second team.
Kilponen and Pleasants are first team honorees for the second consecutive year, and Pleasants is the first in LSWA history to make the All-Louisiana Softball First Team as a freshman and sophomore since LSU pitcher Carley Hoover (2015-16). Kilponen finished the season with an 18-9 record in the circle with a 2.29 ERA and 145 strikeouts, ranking No. 7 and No. 8 in the SEC, respectively. Pleasants turned in a .295 batting average and led the team with 105 total bases and 28 extra-base hits featuring 15 doubles, 12 home runs and one triple.
Briggs became a two-time All-Louisiana winner after gracing the second team in 2021. At the plate this season, the California native batted .368 and had 70 hits (No. 9 in the SEC), 32 RBI and a team-high 53 runs scored. Briggs was one of three LSU Tigers to have a perfect fielding percentage with a minimum of 75 chances as she logged 82 putouts and seven assists. Briggs was honored with the 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove Award, presented by the NFCA.
Sunseri is the only three-time All-Louisiana selection on this year’s All-Louisiana team. Sunseri was on the first team in 2019 as a utility player and was second team in 2021 as a pitcher. In 2022, Sunseri registered a .616 slugging percentage behind 15 home runs – the seventh most in a single season in the program’s record book. In the circle, Sunseri was 8-7 with a 3.23 ERA and struck out 61 batters.
Clark led LSU this season with a .667 slugging percentage, 61 RBI and 16 home runs. Clark’s 61 ribbies ranked No. 4 in the SEC and No. 16 in the NCAA, while her 16 home runs ranked No. 10 in the SEC and No. 6 in the program’s single season record book. Clark was tabbed All-Louisiana Honorable Mention in 2021.
Coffey had a breakout season in 2022 as she captured her first All-Louisiana selection. Coffey paced the Tigers with a .379 batting average, .457 on-base percentage and 72 hits which ranked No. 6 in the SEC.
Five of the six LSU honorees will return for the 2023 season. The Tigers finished the season with an overall 34-23 record that featured its 16th consecutive appearance to the NCAA Tournament.
2022 All-Louisiana Collegiate Softball Team
First Team:
Pitcher: Primrose Aholelei, So., Bossier Parish
Pitcher: Ali Kilponen, Jr., LSU
Pitcher: Audrey Pickett, Sr., Louisiana Tech
Pitcher: Ashley Vallejo, So., McNeese
Catcher: Sophie Piskos, So., Louisiana
First Base: Stormy Kotzelnick, Fr., Louisiana
Second Base: Melissa Mayeux, Sr., Louisiana
Third Base: Jourdyn Campbell, So., Louisiana
Shortstop: Taylor Pleasants, So., LSU
Outfield: Ciara Briggs, So., LSU
Outfield: Aeriyl Mass, Sr., Southeastern Louisiana
Outfield: Sierra Sacco, Fr., Louisiana Tech
Designated Player: Karly Heath, Jr., Louisiana
Utility: Shelbi Sunseri, 5th-Year Sr., LSU
Major Awards
Hitter of the Year: Jourdyn Campbell, Louisiana
Pitcher of the Year: Primrose Aholelei, Bossier Parish
Newcomer of the Year: Jourdyn Campbell, Louisiana
Freshman of the Year: Sierra Sacco, Louisiana Tech
Coach of the Year: James Landreneau, McNeese
Second Team:
Pitcher: Sam Landry, Fr.., Louisiana
Pitcher: Meghan Schorman, Jr., Louisiana
Catcher: Bailey Krolczyk, So., Southeastern Louisiana
First Base: Georgia Clark, Jr., LSU
Second Base: Madison Rayner, Jr., Southeastern Louisiana
Third Base: Danieca Coffey, So., LSU
Third Base: Jill Poullard, So., McNeese
Shortstop: Amanda Gonzalez, Jr., Louisiana Tech
Outfield: Maddie Hayden, Fr., Louisiana
Outfield: Maddie Leal, So., LSU-Eunice
Outfield: Laney Roos, So., Northwestern State
Designated Player: Audrey Greely, So., Southeastern Louisiana
Utility: Olivia Coaker, Jr., Louisiana Christian
Honorable Mention
Pitcher: Chloe Bennett, LSU-Eunice; Sage Hoover, Northwestern State; Heather Zumo, Southeastern Louisiana.
Catcher: Brooke Diaz, Louisiana Tech.
Second Base: Alexis Chavez, Louisiana-Monroe.
Shortstop: Alexa Langeliers, Louisiana.
Outfield: Mackenzie Cox, Centenary; Cam Goodman, Southeastern Louisiana.
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